Prospect Watch Weekend Starting 20/1/12

Pretty exciting weekend of Boxing ahead, especially if you live in Liverpool, with two hometown favourites headlining big cards. Boxing is starting to get going in 2012 and here are some prospects to watch out for this weekend.

Selkirk is on show at the Olympia

The first card in Liverpool, both at the Olympia, sees Derry Mathews headline in an IBO lightweight title fight against unbeaten Italian Emiliano Marsili on Friday night. There's a lot of young guys on the bill, and one of them is Frank Warren signed light middleweight, Joe Selkirk (7-0, 4 KO's). The 6ft1 local man takes on former Southern Area champion, Ryan Toms, in what looks like a pretty intriguing contest. Selkirk, who should have no problems if you look at the form guide, as he has a win over Steve O'Meara (59-57 in December 2010), who recently knocked Toms out in a round. O'Meara is one of the form fighters in Britain at the moment and has pushed on despite that loss, while Selkirk has stagnated because of injury. He's a really slick fighter, the guy has got loads of potential, but does need to start stepping up in 2012, because Boxing is a short career.

Diaz faces Robb in what could be a cracker

On Friday night in America there's a really good looking WBA super bantamweight title fight between big punching Rico Ramos and one of the best amateurs ever Guillermo Rigondeaux in Las Vegas, with the fight being screened live on Showtime. The undercard has a fantastic looking eight round super featherweight contest though, with two unbeaten prospects Guy Robb (7-0, 3 KO's) taking on Joel Diaz (6-0, 5 KO's). Both of them are young fighters, with Robb from Sacramento 22 years old, and Palmdale man Diaz a mere 19 years old. Robb looks like the bigger fighter, and has already beaten an unbeaten fighter, taking the 0 of Pablo Armenta in September last year, while Diaz comes into this on the back of four straight 1st round stoppages. Both have shown good qualities so far, but we'll learn a lot more about both of them when the bell rings.

Puerto Rico's Del Valle will have a big following at the Roseland

At the Roseland Ballroom in New York on Saturday night, a NABF light welterweight title fight between unbeaten slickster Gabriel Bracero, taking on the very experienced DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Chorley. The undercard sees exciting Puerto Rican featherweight, Luis Orlando Del Valle (14-0, 11 KO's) in a scheduled eight rounder with the dangerous 35 year old Mexican, Jose Angel Beranza. Del Valle is the current NABA featherweight champ, which he won with a highly impressive 10 round UD (99-91 on all three judges scorecards) over tough Vietnamese fighter Dat Nguyen. He followed it up with a 3rd round TKO win over Kenya's Anthony Napunyi in September in Billoxi, Mississippi. Beranza has only been stopped four times in 57 fights and comes into this fight on the back of a shock win over then unbeaten San Diego man, Christopher Martin. Barenza is a proven 12 round fighter and guys like Wilfredo Vazquez Jr, Teon Kennedy, Jhonny Gonzalez and Alexander Bakhtin, have been taken the distance by him.


In Ensenada, Mexico, in a card headlined by Daniel Ponce De Leon's fight with Omar Estrella, two talented unbeaten Mexicans feature on the undercard. The first is the Cameron Dunkin managed bantamweight, Leo Santa Cruz (18-0-1), who has already knocked around some experienced campaigners in his last few fights. His last bout was a complete waste of time as he fought a guy in just his second pro fight, but before that he stopped former world title challenger Everth Briceno (TKO11) and former WBO super flyweight champion Jose Lopez (KO5). Here he faces world #54 Alejandro Hernandez, who's never been stopped before, and that includes a August 2008 WBO flyweight challenge against talented Argentine Omar Andres Narvaez.


Also featuring is fast rising super middleweight Marco Antonio Periban (15-0, 10 KO's), who's already ranked #18 in the world and is yet to even step into 10 round distance. Last time out he starred on the Mayweather v Ortiz bill, closing out a comfortable eight round points win over the durable Dhafir Smith. He's a big puncher, but has also got pretty good hands, and there is genuine potential there. Here he faces the dangerous, if shot-shy, Rito Ruvalcaba over eight rounds. 

6ft8 Price faces his first real test

Frank Maloney promotions has a bumper bill at the Olympia on Saturday night, headlined by the very exciting vacant English heavyweight title fight between David Price (11-0, 9 KO's) and John McDermott (26-7, 17 KO's). A lot of people are excited by the 6ft8 Olympic Bronze medallist, Price, who looked in brilliant form in his last few fights. His last fight saw him completely outclass then unbeaten Tom Dallas, stopping him in two rounds. He's still untested and many people expect him to be that difficult fight for him, but the skills, power and temperament look there. McDermott faced a similar fight against then 7-0 Tyson Fury in September 2009, and was robbed as he fought out of his skin and did enough in a lot of people's eyes. He looked superb last time out in stopping Larry Olubamiwo in a round, and all of that makes this a very intriguing heavyweight battle.


There's plenty of young talent on the undercard, and that includes the skilled cruiserweight, Danny Price (2-0, 1 KO's). He turned pro towards the end of 2011 after being relegated from the Olympic squad, and looks to have plenty of talent. Last time out he was given a tough four round test by Hastings Rastani (40-36) and faces another step up in class here against Bulgarian Tayar Mehmed. Stopped just once in his career in what was just his second pro fight by the very talented Rakhim Chakhiev, and since then he's taken the likes of Shane McPhilbin and Tony Conquest the distance. A stoppage victory would certainly look good on Price's record.